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Howick and Botany Times, Wednesday, July 30, 2014 — 9
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Your rates
work hard all around Auckland
Rates 2014/2015
Your rates are used to pay for things that make Auckland such a great place
to live, such as improved public transport, events and parks, as well our
continued investment in community facilities and infrastructure.
Auckland Council has worked hard to reduce the average rates increase to
2.5 per cent. The council has a policy to slowly reduce the rates differential
on business properties over a ten-year period. Currently business pays value
based general rates that are 2.53 times that of a residential property. This
year it is being reduced to 2.43, which will mean that residential and farm/
lifestyle properties will pay the difference. When combined with the average
rates increase, the result is an average increase of 3.7 per cent for non-
business properties and an average change of 0.1 per cent for business.
July 2014 saw the start of the third year of Auckland Council’s three-year move
to a single rating system. This means that over time, all Auckland properties of a
similar value and use will be charged a similar amount of rates.
The transition process helps manage the rates changes, with the maximum
that rates can rise for residential and farm/lifestyle properties capped at 10
per cent and the lowest they can drop is 3 per cent.
Business ratepayers have transitioned to their new rates amount, having
moved from their 2011/2012 rates amount in near-equal steps over the
three-year period.
Rates notices will be sent out from early August.
For more information and to check out an estimate of your
2014/2015 rates, visit: aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/rates
125999-v2
From the files of the Howick and Botany Times, in 2004
Whitford Quarry deal
AUGUST 4, 2004: Manukau
City Council is entering a
management agreement
with Fulton Hogan for
the operation of Whitford
Quarry.
“A relationship with a
major national operator is
an excellent opportunity for
the council,” said Manukau
Mayor Sir Barry Curtis.
“Fulton Hogan’s size and expertise
will allow the council to get maximum
return for ratepayers, while ensuring
the best environmental management.”
The council is putting a covenant
over the native bush in the Claude
Stream catchment protecting it from
future quarrying.
“This is a beautiful area with many
established native trees, including
some mature kauri. Protecting it
from development is a key part of the
decision.”
Key features of the arrangement with
Fulton Hogan are: Council to retain
ownership of land and rock; Fulton
Hogan to seek consents; consents
to be considered by an independent
commissioner; quarry to be operated
by Fulton Hogan; Fulton Hogan to
market rock; close relationships to be
maintained with the community by
Fulton Hogan; present operator’s staff
to be offered employment with Fulton
Hogan.
On foreign assignment
AUGUST 4: Willowbank School
teacher Andie Pirie pays her fourth
visit to schools in the United States to
teach primary schoolteachers how the
New Zealand education system works.
She will visit five schools in the state
of Oregon. Of particular interest to
schools there is how NZ manages to
absorb students seamlessly into the
system, no matter what time in the
academic year they enter school.
This applies to new entrants who
mostly start when they turn
five, and to immigrants who
do not confine arrival for
the convenience of teachers
to the beginning of the
academic year.
US schools, with their large
numbers of Spanish speakers
are also keen to learn from
NZ on how we cope with
both native speakers of
English and non-native speakers in the
same class.
“A special strength of our system
is that it enables one teacher to cope
with up to 30 pupils of varying ability,
whereas in the US, the teacher has
several assistants,” said Ms Pirie.
What Ms Pirie with her Auckland
College of Education training and
uniform national educational system
background finds daunting about US
schools is systems vary from state to
state, and even from district to district
within a state.
Without the buy-in of Willowbank
School, parents and her family, she said
the visit would not be possible.
Hands-on exhibition
AUGUST 11: Art is often said to be in
the eye of the beholder, but what if you
can’t see?
More than Looking, a unique
exhibition by Auckland photographer
Glenn Heenan, offers a hands-on
experience to visually impaired art
lovers.
At Te Tuhi in Pakuranga, Heenan,
whose grandmother lost her sight when
he was a child, has recreated the key
outlines of some of his favourite New
Zealand scenes on to a glass overlay.
Using glass dust fired to harden,
the effect is an embossed image of the
photograph which people can touch.
“This is really a hands-on exhibition
for everyone,” said Mr Heenan, of his
debut show.
“I want people to touch the works to
know what others are looking at.”
SIR BARRY CURTIS
Senior citizen bashed
during home invasion
Info sought on jewellery theft
A GRANDMOTHER required
medical treatment after allegedly
being assaulted in her Flat Bush
home by a male intruder.
The aggravated burglary hap-
pened in Aspiring Avenue, Clover
Park, at 10.20am on July 21.
Detective senior sergeant Darrell
Harpur, head of Counties Manukau
East Police’s criminal investigation
branch (CIB), says at the home were
a 66-year-old grandmother and her
nine-month-old grandchild.
“The victim was confronted by
the male intruder, who assaulted
her physically,” says Mr Harpur.
“The offender then left the prop-
erty, taking a laptop computer.
The victim was hospitalised with
serious head injuries following the
assault.”
Mr Harpur says police are con-
cerned at the level of violence used
in the attack.
He urges anyone with informa-
tion on the incident to contact
police immediately.
A man seen in the area after the
burglary may be able to assist the
police investigation.
“Just after the attack a person
was seen walking out of the vic-
tim’s driveway into Aspiring Ave-
nue,” says Mr Harpur.
“We hope this person can help us
with our inquiries.”
The alleged offender is described
as a male Maori or Polynesian who
may be aged in his late 20s to mid-
30s.
He’s of medium build and height
and had a bushy afro-style hairdo,
tied back with a white hair tie or
band and he had facial hair or a
beard.
People with information on the
alleged aggravated burglary at a
home in Aspiring Avenue, Flat
Bush, at 10.20am on July 21, can
phone Mr Harpur or police consta-
ble Aron Singh on 250-2800.
Alternatively, phone the free and
anonymous Crimestoppers tip-off
line on 0800-555 -111.
POLICE are working to identify
a woman who allegedly grabbed
expensive jewellery from an East
Auckland retail shop and ran.
The thief targeted the Michael
Hill store at Botany Town Centre
at 3.20pm on Saturday, July 19.
“A woman entered the store and
asked to look at a couple of items of
jewellery,” Counties Manukau East
Police sergeant Brett Meale told
the Times.
“Two items were placed on the
counter. She snatched them and
ran out without paying.”
The two stolen pieces of gold
jewellery are described as a men’s
chain and a men’s bracelet worth a
combined $10,000.
Mr Meale says the female thief
sought by police is described as
Maori or Polynesian.
She’s aged 25-30 and had long
black hair worn in a ponytail, is of
medium build, and about 1.7-me-
tres tall.
“She was wearing a black top
with pink writing on the front,
blue jeans and red shoes,” says Mr
Meale.
“The woman ran to a nearby car.
It was a yellow-green Nissan Tiida
with the registration number plate
FKT921.
“The car was being driven by a
male Maori or Polynesian of solid
build and about the same age as the
woman.”
Security camera footage recorded
at the town centre at the time of the
jewellery theft is being analysed by
police.
Mr Meale wants to hear from
anyone who saw the Nissan Tiida
vehicle in Botany Town Centre car
park on the afternoon of July 19, or
who knows where the stolen jewel-
lery is.
People with information on the
theft of two items of valuable gold
jewellery from the Michael Hill
store at Botany at about 3.20pm on
July 19 can phone Counties Manu-
kau East Police sergeant Brett
Meale on 250-2887, or the free and
anonymous Crimestoppers tip-off
line on 0800-555 -111.
Detective Senior Sergeant Darrell
Harpur
Times photo
From the files of the Howick and Botany Times, in 2004
Looking back, 10 years ago...
Abright spark has earned her
stripes at Kelly Flavell Law with
generous doses of enthusiasm
and hard work.
Charismatic lawyer Dejana Manic
was recently appointed by principal
Kelly Flavell as an Associate at the
Howick firm.
Kelly says the lively personality has
been an invaluable addition to the
company since she joined more than
three years ago.
“Dejana’s warm and personable
nature has brought numerous clients
through our door and we trust that the
team will continue to thrive as they
support her in this new direction.”
An expert in the area of residen-
tial and commercial conveyancing,
Dejana also has expertise in the areas
of property law, family trusts, as well
as will and estate planning.
She says her success thus far is
all thanks to the superb team at Kelly
Flavell Law.
“We really work well as a team – it’s
like family here, and it shows in our
work too.”
Importantly, each client is treated
with utmost respect.
“I get to know my clients on a
personal level and find out as much
about them as I can – they’re not
just a case folder or a number,” says
Dejana.
While legal matters are often per-
ceived as tedious, the Kelly Flavell
team is here to make it as simple and
refreshing as possible.
“A lot of people don’t know what’s
involved or don’t understand what’s
required – we’re here to make it easy
for them and to put their minds at
ease so that they’re comfortable with
every step of the process.”
Great emphasis is placed on a pos-
itive outcome and Dejana receives
many repeat clients and referrals with
the knowledge and trust that she will
not disappoint.
“I really want to make sure my
clients receive the very best service
and, at the end of the day, it’s their
satisfaction I strive for.”
As a result, Dejana is always happy
to put in extra time and effort. Thanks
to effective time management and
flexibility, she has no problem jug-
gling urgent matters and giving them
immediate attention.
Supported by the dedicated Kelly
Flavell team, Dejana takes pride in all
of her work and delivers nothing short
of excellence.
For a dynamically different experi-
ence for all legal needs, visit:
Kelly Flavell Law, 18 Uxbridge Road,
Howick. Phone 535 2150.
Email: dejana@kellyflavell.co.nz
Dejana Manic
ADVERTORIAL 126476A
Kelly Flavell welcomes
new Associate